The Early Word on Southpaw BBQ in the Mission

[Photo: Molly DeCoudreaux]

Hailing from the land of Spanish moss and pulled pork, chef David King, Elizabeth Wells, and barman Edward Calhoun are looking to spearhead some sort of Mission BBQ scene with their two-month-old Southpaw BBQ restaurant. Touting Southern cooking, the joint has locally sourced meats, cheese-infused sides, and a charming yet rustic décor on its side. Beyond that, they brew beer onsite and know their way around a glass of bourbon. Will Southpaw's sazeracs beat out the neighborhood's other dazzling cocktails? Will its ribs stand the test of time? Read on and make the call for yourself.

The Cocktail News: Folks are a-chatter about Calhoun's boozy creations. Mission Mission noted, “The bartenders know what’s up with whiskey, which is always a bonus,” while 7x7 mentioned the "unexpected mixers like red pepper and ginger." Sin Spices Survival's opinion was less pleasant: “[The] only downside was the bar's obsession with whiskey, but some things in San Francisco will never change.” Thrillist would like you to know that Calhoun has "15 bourbons, 10 ryes, and six moonshines" at his disposal. [Mission Mission, 7x7, Sin Spices Survival]

The Ambiance News: "This exceptional new restaurant gives off an intimate yet playfully casual vibe,” writes Brad Japhe of SF Station. Metrowize was pleased with the restaurant's "citified swank," and Le Tablehopper was taken with the light fixtures "made?of Belgian beer bottles, chicken feeders, and grain bin metal coils." Mission Mission put it succinctly: "the exposed brick makes it cozy." [SfStation, Metrowize, Tablehopper, Mission Mission]

The Cheesy News: Thrillist says Southpaw uses cornmeal from "a 100-year-old mill in Mississippi" for its cheese grits, and Tasting Table says the result is "smooth and silky...enriched with a boatload of cheddar and parmesan." On the contrary, Yelper Mark A. found them "WAY too rich." [Thrillist, Tasting Table, Yelp]

The Pork News: 7x7's Sara Deseran says the pork shoulder is "solid," while Chowhounderpane describes the shoulder as "dry," the portion size as "skimpy," and the ribs themselves as "chewy." According to Yelp's Andrew K., the pulled pork was "soggy and had a LOT of fat," but co-Yelper Mike Y. found that selfsame pork "really tasty." [Chowhound, Yelp]

The Service News: 7x7 says Southpaw "has great, friendly service," and UrbanSpoon's Tom P. would second that: "Staff is friendly and pleasant." [7x7, Urbanspoon]

What's your take on Southpaw BBQ? Share away in the comments, or email us over the EaterWire here.

-- Kate Garklavs

· All Southpaw Coverage [~ ESF ~]